Considering IVF? Here are 10 things you must know

In-Vitro-Fertilisation or IVF is one of the fastest methods of achieving pregnancy. Although it is expensive and time consuming, it is definitely worth in the light of recent success rates. Considering IVF? Here are 11 things you must know

It is time consuming: A typical IVF treatment lasts between four weeks to two months and this depends on how quickly your body responds to medication. The first part includes suppressing the menstrual cycle either by hormone injection or by just a nasal spray. Just after the hormone injection, ovarian injection is the next step in the form of self-administered shots. The ovary stimulation can take over 10days approximately 12days. After this, your doctor will administer a shot to prompt the eggs released and he would see you in about 36hrs again. The eggs collected will have to be fertilised and left to grow for six days. At the end of this stage, a viable embryo will be chosen and implanted into your womb.

The whole process can be very stressful: Having to go through all the process of injecting, waiting for 15-220 hours can be very stressful and that’s why Alan B, Copperman, M.D of the division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Mount Sinai Hospital and medical director of Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York, says he encourages patients to always ask questions. He also said “The best way to combat stress is with information, it gives a sense of control”. Information actually gives a sense of control. Knowing what to do next and the exact time can help you manage how stressful you’ve been.

But contrary to what you may have heard, being stressed out is not going to make it harder to get pregnant:

In the past, it was thought that stress causes infertility but according to Doctor Alan B, “stress doesn’t really cause infertility, infertility causes stress”. Research has however proven Dr Alan.B. Cooperman right as its now been proven that stress can’t make you infertile. Rather, unhealthy habits like smoking/alcohol consumption and eating food filled with cholesterol are what actually cause infertility.

Along the way, it’s likely-and totally fine-that you’ll feel moody, thanks to the influx of hormones:

Everyday injection of hormones will lead to dramatic hormonal fluctuations and as such you might feel moody. Susan Benjamin, a licensed clinical psychologist who works with many women going through infertility treatment says; “some women are also just more hormonally sensitive”. If you get irritated easily that means you are hormonally sensitive and may be more affected by hormonal treatments.

Fertility treatments can even make you more prone to depression and anxiety, including postpartum depression.

Hormonal injections/ovarian stimulation can actually result in getting you depressed. Feingold says “But if you’re predisposed to depression or anxiety disorders and then go through this very stressful time, with lots of ups and downs,” you’re more likely to find those issues manifesting themselves, even after you’ve given birth.

The shots can cause some uncomfortable side effects, but nothing too extreme:

Some side effects will be noticed while receiving IVF treatment. However, it typically not severe though but it’s kind of like having PMS symptoms that drag on for more than a week. Shots can also cause bruising at the site.

The IVF process can take a toll on your relationship:

Based on the fact that you may be hormonally sensitive, your ups and downs/depression can push your partner off your struggle of getting fertile and as such break your relationship. Infertility on a normal basis without even IVF can make a man leave his woman not to mention that she’s now depressed as a result of IVF. ” Copperman says. “Many drop out of treatment before it ever works so that they don’t have this stressor on their marriage.” Feingold also added that, once the treatment is over couples tend to treat sex more of a job rather than an exercise to show love.

It typically takes more than one cycle of IVF to become pregnant:

If you have it in mind that just one IVF cycle can get you pregnant then you should reconsider as its not certain that one IVF cycle can actually get you pregnant. It’s hinged on probability. Some women experience just one cycle while others don’t.

You can choose your baby’s gender with an extra screening process :

One good advantage of IVF is that you can actually select the gender of your child through a process called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). PGD analyses the chromosomes of each embryo including the sex chromosomes. Meike L. Uhler says “We only do it if the couple requests. It requires them to sign off on it, as it’s not covered by insurance,”

IVF is the most effect way for infertile couples to get pregnant, so stick it out if you can:

The process is tedious and can be very stressful, it requires a lot of time and it can depress you. Yet its best solution for couples that are infertile so if you know you can withstand the challenges attached to IVF then go for it. But then, if it looks stressful you can always try other alternatives.

Through it all, remember to take care of yourself

Don’t forget to stay healthy. It is easy to feel down and sob as a result of infertility and as a result of this, you might be deep into your thought were you feel its no longer important to eat or you even forget about eating totally. Remember, once you don’t eat well you can’t be fertile, so tend to yourself and take good care of yourself.